A question for all you converted athiests!

[Dystopia]

After I settled into rejecting Christianity, I felt exactly as you describe yourself feeling. I felt much more comfortable and at peace, and continue to feel that way, after many years of remaining an atheist. (Incidentally, I am a strong atheist, not one of those sissy weak atheists!)

You are exactly like me



OP, I was never a theist to begin with though for a few years in my childhood I believed in god. When I hit 13 I started to think it was all bullshit. I also listened to a lot of music that usually don't fit religion or even criticize religion (rock and roll).

[Simon Moon]

To reiterate, becoming an atheist is not a conversion. Going from one religion to another is a conversion.

Atheism is a conversion like turning the TV off is another channel.


For me, when I gave up my religious beliefs, it was like a foggy out of focus filter was removed from my mind. I am now able to evaluate all new info without having to pass it through a "dogma filter".

I am not arrogant enough to believe I currently have an accurate view of reality. Only that I have a much greater chance of having one than the religious.

[Tonus]

How did you feel before you converted vs. after you converted?

Not all that different, really. My own deconversion was a very slow and drawn-out process with very little pressure, so when I finally accepted that I did not believe in god, it didn't bowl me over or change my day-to-day life. I do enjoy the freedom and control that I feel now that I decided to take my fate in my own hands, but I was always a happy-go-lucky sort of person.

[coolfunkDJ]

How did you feel before you converted vs. after you converted?

Not all that different, really. My own deconversion was a very slow and drawn-out process with very little pressure, so when I finally accepted that I did not believe in god, it didn't bowl me over or change my day-to-day life. I do enjoy the freedom and control that I feel now that I decided to take my fate in my own hands, but I was always a happy-go-lucky sort of person.

Fair enough.

[dyresand]

I have a question for all you converted athiests...

How did you feel before you converted vs. after you converted?

I'm just very curious as I am a new converted athiest and honestly, I feel a lot more comfortable and at peace with myself more than I ever felt being Christian, since I was constantly questioning if it was real even when i was a devoted Christian, there was always that nagging sensation in my head saying "Are you wasting your time at church?"

So please, let me know Thanks!

Well... it was like well... fuck... i knew it was a lie i was right none it was real hell is not real!! i was ecstatic i was dancing and stuff, then i was like.. you lied to me you said it was all true.. why...?

[Nope]

I was in my early forties or late thirties. Losing my faith was not something I wanted to happen so I fought very hard against it. Once I finally admitted my faith was gone, it was like a burden lifted off my shoulders

I do feel angry with myself for wasting part of my life with such an obvious delusion

[Pyrrho]

I was in my early forties or late thirties. Losing my faith was not something I wanted to happen so I fought very hard against it. Once I finally admitted my faith was gone, it was like a burden lifted off my shoulders

I do feel angry with myself for wasting part of my life with such an obvious delusion

I am rather displeased that I wasted any of my life on it as well. In my case, though, I was young when I deconverted. But the process took several years, as, like you, I wanted very much to believe. I wasted a lot of time on that, that could have been spent learning something useful, if only I had not been raised to believe such nonsense. Really, Christianity is too silly and ridiculous, so there was no way I could continue to believe it. Too many contradictions and too much nonsense. The idea of a Christian god is as ludicrous as any idea one could possibly have.

I am reminded of the words of David Hume:

• So that, upon the whole, we may conclude, that the Christian Religion not only was at first attended with miracles, but even at this day cannot be believed by any reasonable person without one.

http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/341

Amen.

[robvalue]

I don't think of anyone as foolish for having "fallen for it" while having it preached to them and constantly reinforced by parents and church. When young especially, you're reliant on your parents for wisdom and it's your instinct to trust them. As I was lucky enough to avoid it altogether, I wonder how long it would have taken me to see through it. Even into adulthood, lies planted so deep as to be indistinguishable from truths are powerful and hard to dislodge, and that's not the person's fault. I have great respect for anyone who breaks free, no matter what age.

[Kitty Galore]

In my case, I always had a hard time buying it. Since I was very little. I wondered where dinosaurs came in to the timeline. LOL. Since I always had doubt, the worst part for me was the fear of failing. Of being an awful person. I tried to believe it. It wouldn't come. I felt shame that I couldn't believe. Once I realized that it wasn't about that at all, I felt free. I don't have that fear and shame hanging over me, I can embrace that I was right to question religion.

[dyresand]

In my case, I always had a hard time buying it. Since I was very little. I wondered where dinosaurs came in to the timeline. LOL. Since I always had doubt, the worst part for me was the fear of failing. Of being an awful person. I tried to believe it. It wouldn't come. I felt shame that I couldn't believe. Once I realized that it wasn't about that at all, I felt free. I don't have that fear and shame hanging over me, I can embrace that I was right to question religion.